PHILLIES: Votto, Reds hand Fightins a beatdown

PHILADELPHIA — Kyle Kendrick has reached the point where poor starts are an exception.

Kendrick (4-2) gave up four runs and eight hits with a season-high four walks in six innings, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Phillies 10-0 Saturday.

Kendrick hadn’t allowed more than two runs in his previous seven starts.

“They have a good lineup and I wasn’t good,” Kendrick said. “Those two things make it tough.”

It was Kendrick’s worst outing since allowing five runs in Philadelphia’s home opener. Kendrick has been the team’s most consistent starter this season, posting a 2.82 ERA and outperforming Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay.

Since returning to the rotation last August, Kendrick is 11-6 with a 3.02 ERA in 21 starts.

“He battled and kept us in the game,” manager Charlie Manuel said. “But we couldn’t score and the bullpen let the game get out of hand.”

The Phillies were shut out for the sixth time in 43 games, matching their total for all of last season.

Bronson Arroyo pitched five-hit ball over 7 2-3 innings, Joey Votto was 4 for 4 with a homer for the Reds.

Arroyo (4-4) struck out six and allowed one runner to reach third in winning his third straight start against Philadelphia. He was 1-7 in his first 10 games against the Phillies, but has figured them out over the past two seasons.

Votto had a two-run shot and walked twice to reach safely six times. Ryan Hanigan hit a three-run homer.

Cincinnati won for the seventh time in its past eight games and improved to 4-1 against the Phillies this year.

Arroyo entered with a 6.00 career ERA against the Phillies, including a 9.60 ERA in three starts at Citizens Bank Park. He’s 3-0 with a 1.52 ERA in three starts against them since last Aug. 22.

“This game is so funny,” Arroyo said. “One pitch can surely change things. I’ve been able to keep their power guys quiet so that’s helped.”

Todd Frazier led off the second with an infield single, snapping an 0-for-19 slump. Donald Lutz followed with a single. Then Hanigan connected for his first extra-base hit of the season, giving the Reds a 3-0 lead. Hanigan had eight singles in 54 at-bats before taking Kendrick deep to left.

Hanigan was hit by a pitch leading off the sixth. He advanced on a sacrifice and scored on Zack Cozart’s two-out double to right to make it 4-0.

The Reds added four runs off three relievers in the eighth. Votto hit one out in the ninth.

Arroyo didn’t need all that support. He baffled hitters with his assortment of slow stuff, occasionally mixing a fastball with his mid-70s off-speed pitches.

NOTES: Carlos Zambrano had five strikeouts in two innings in his first appearance in an extended spring training game since the three-time All-Star signed a minor league deal with the Phillies. ... Injured Phillies LHP John Lannan threw a bullpen session and is expected to throw again Monday. ... The Phillies have been shut out six times. ... Phillies CF John Mayberry Jr. struck out swinging four times. ... Reds third base coach Chris Speier got cheers for planting a kiss on the Phillie Phanatic while the furry green mascot was pretending to be Alicia Keys singing “Girl on Fire” before the sixth inning. ... Homer Bailey (2-3, 3.51 ERA) opposes Philadelphia’s Jonathan Pettibone (3-0, 3.41 ERA) in the series finale Sunday afternoon.